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The teenager accused with killing Frank Sinclair told a murder trial that he “lost it” as he stamped on his victim.

The teenager, who admits killing the 61-year-old, but not murdering him, told jurors he shouted “to get his anger out” as he carried out the attack.

Mr Sinclair was found dead behind Westwood Community Hall on January 19 last year, sparking a huge investigation.

Then 16, the boy was arrested and charged with his killing, but the now 17-year-old denies murder.

The boy accepts responsibility for Mr Sinclair’s death and has offered a plea to the reduced charge of culpable homicide.

At the High Court on Monday, defence QC Bert Kerrigan asked the teenager: “Do you accept you are responsible for the killing of Mr Sinclair,” and he replied, “yes”.

Police guard the scene at Westwood Community Hall

The murder accused told the jury he initially tried to help Mr Sinclair, who was on the ground, as he thought he was either ill or drunk.

He said that, as tried to lift Mr Sinclair up, they stumbled and he hit his face off the wall. He said he thought Mr Sinclair had pushed him and was angry.

He walked away and threw his phone to the ground. Mr Kerrigan asked why he did this and the the murder accused replied: “Because I was angry at what had just happened.”

The teenager told the jury he then returned to where Mr Sinclair lay and “kicked or stomped” on him.

Mr Kerrigan asked: “How often did you do this,” and he replied, “I don’t know. I just lost my temper”.

The teenager was asked how he felt afterwards and replied: “I was sitting on a patch of grass.

“I had my head in my hands and my head between my knees and I was crying because I was in shock for what I’d just done. I was just in shock for what I’d done to the man.”

Cross-examining the teenager, prosecutor Liam Ewing QC asked: “Do you remember evidence that you were shouting noises as you stamped on Mr Sinclair,” and replied, “yes, I was just shouting, getting all my anger out”.

Police guard the scene at Westwood Community Hall

Mr Ewing then said: “What was your intention as Mr Sinclair lay on the ground,” and he replied, “to hurt him”.

He teen added: “I just lost my temper. I just lost it.

“I just thought he’d be knocked out. I didn’t know what I did to him would kill him.”

Pathologist Dr Sharon Calvert told jurors last week how Mr Sinclair how he had been “internally decapitated”.

She said he had 19 injuries to his face and neck including a fractured hyoid bone.

An internal examination showed that a vertebrae at the top of the spine near the larynx was fractured.